Tack handling apparatus



Nov. 18, 1952 c. A. ROBINSON 2,617,937

TACK HANDLNG APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet l $3 A O ts O O I f\ 3 00 V 1 Q g m 11% 0 3 oz E R? g 9 $1) D 2' g i g\ 2 Q i 1 inventor Charles AJPobinxan I?) By his Attorney Nov. 18, 1952 c. A. ROBINSON 2,617,987

TACK HANDLNG APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvn for Ch arles Afiobz'rzson By his Attorney Nov. 18, 19 52 c. A. ROBINSON 2,617,987

TACK HANDLNG APPARATUS Filed March l7,' 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 fiwen tor C'ha r'les Akobinso 72 By his Attorney Nov. 18, 1952 c. A. ROBINSON 2,617,987

TACK HANDLNG APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 \i' l I 58 6 /g6 [94 g 60 \6Zlnvenfor I 234 Charles Aiiobz'rzson B? his Attorney 1 TACK HANDLNG APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 /7 5 8 Inventor L I Charles Afiobinson By his Attorr'z'ey Nov. 18, 1952 c. A. ROBINSON TACK HANDLNG APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Byhz's Attorney fiwentor Charles Afiobirzson Filed March 17, 1950 Patented Nov. 18, r 1952 TACK HANDLING APPARATUS Charles A. Robinson, Salem, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 17, 1950, Serial No. 150,301

Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling tacks and particularly to a novel and improved mechanism for feeding and separating tacks. Although the herein illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown as applied to a lasting machine of the so-called hand method type, it will be understood, of course, that the tack-feeding and separating mechanism of this invention is of broader utility and, therefore, not limited to use either in a lasting machine or in a machine of the exact mechanical construction shown.

A well-known type of tack-handling apparatus used, for example, for delivering tacks to the tack nozzle of a lasting machine includes an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove along which a line of tacks is fed by gravity to the lower end thereof and a reciprocating separator for separating the lowermost tack from the line and delivering it to a discharge passage through which the tack falls into the tack nozzle of the machine. Usually, this separator comprises a relatively thin plate having an angularly disposed slot for engaging the lowermost tack in the raceway, just beneath its head, and for transferring the tack to a discharge passage during reciprocation of the separator, in the manner illustrated, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,014,940, issued on January 16, 191.2

in the name of W. A. Bond. While separating mechanisms of this type have proved to be generally satisfactory in use. the relatively thin separator blade is susceptible to considerable wear and, inasmuch as the tack being separated is supported only in a location just beneath its head, there is-some tendency for it to be tipped, or tilted, out of proper position to drop freely through the discharge passage. Also. it is necessary with a tack separator of this kind to provide, in a dition to t e separat r blade, a so-called gate member for holding the line of tacks in the raceway groove, during each separating operation, together with a member having a slot which cooperates with the separator s ot for effecting the transfer of the separated tack to the discharge passage.

It is an object of this invention to provide novel and improved tack-separating mechanism which is not only much less susceptible to wear and more positive in its action but is also very dependable in operation and so constructed as to prevent the separated tack from bein displaced from a proper position to drop freely through the discharge passage. To this end, and in accordance with a feature of the invention, there is provided a separator member which is moved in such a way as to bring a tack-receiving recess therein, alternately, into alinement with a tack-feeding groove or a discharge passage, formed in the lower end of the raceway, the separator also carrying means for positively ejecting a tack from the recess each time the separator is moved to bring the recess into alinement with the discharge passage. More particularly, the separator comprises a member arranged to be reciprocated along the vertically disposed end face of an inclined raceway and having a slot cut through its upper portion to provide a tack-receiving recess of a depth at least as great as the length of the stem of the longest tack to be handled, while the tack ejector is formed by a member that is slidably mounted in the slot and which extends substantially from the top of the separator to the bottom of the slot. This ejector member is moved toward and away from the end face of the raceway in such time relation to the reciprocating movements of the separator that the member is withdrawn from the end face of the raceway to permit the endmost tack in the tack-feeding groove to enter the slot, when the slot is in alinement with the tack-feeding groove, and is projected toward the end face of the raceway to eject the tack from the slot and into the discharge passage, when the slot is in alinement with the discharge passage. With this arrangement, the endmost tack in the tack-feeding groove of the raceway feeds by gravity into the tack-receiving recess of the separator, and, during transfer to the discharge passage, this tack is confined throughout th entire length of its stem by the sides of the tack-receiving slot, the withdrawn ejector member and the end face of the raceway, so that it cannot be displaced from a proper position to drop freely through the discharge passage when positively moved thereinto by the ejector member.

The raceway is inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause the tacks to slide along by gravity and to move out of the raceway and into the separator, and, in accordance with another feature of the invention, the separator is provided with an upper surface which is inclined in a direction opposite to the raceway. Thus, when a tack moves out of the raceway and into the separator, its head will rest on this inclined surface so as to cause the stem of the tack to be swung out of the tack-feeding groove, away from the end face of the raceway, and into the tack-receiving recess of the separator. Accordingly, when the separator is moved to transfer this tack to the discharge passage, there will be no danger of the stem of the tack catching on the end of the raceway, or in the tack-feeding groove, in such a way as to interfere with such movement of the separator. In order to facilitate the action of the separator and, more particularly, to cause the stem of a tack received by the separator to swing away from the race way in the manner explained above, it is important that the tacks in the raceway groove be maintained in a predetermined relative position, i. e., shingled with the head of each succeeding tack superpcsed 'on the head orth'e preceding tack, so that the stems of these tacks are free to assume a nearly vertical position. With this end in view. and in accordance with another feature of the invention, the raceway of the herein illustrated machine is provided with'means for causing the tacks to assume this proper thesetinterrupted portions of. theraceway surfaces, herein illustratedas being. .formed by notches having bottom surfaces. of considerably less-inclination than. the raceway, the leading edge-f its-head willbesuperposed on the trail.- ing edge of .the preceding tack and. this relationship willbe maintainedas the line of tacks moves down 1 the raceway. Preferably, the clearance space betweenthe upper surface of the raceway and a cover. inember, above the aforementioned notches, is-such as to prevent shingling of the I tacks beforethe'y reachthese notches.

fheabove and other objects'and features of thisinventionwill appear from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiment thereof; illustrated. in the accompanying drawings,and will'be pointed out. in the claims.

in the drawings,

.Fig, 1 is a view in perspective ofia portion of a lasting machine provided with the improved tack-handling apparatus of this invention;

FigQZLisa. plan view of a tack-separating mechanism. which forms a part of the. improved tackhandl'ing apparatus;

Fig.3 is a view in side elevation of the tackseparati-ng. mechanism;

.Figswl. and 5 are views in side elevation of a portionofthe tack-separating mechanism shown iniFig. '3. at a somewhat larger scale and viewed at a slightly different angle, with some parts broken-away and others shown in section;

Fig. 6' is a plan view of. a portion of the tack- :sepa-rating mechanism shown in Fig. 3 at a larger scale;

Figs. 7 and8' are perspective views of the tackseparating mechanism, shown in different oper- -ating positionsand with ,parts shown broken away;

JFig.-9' is .a view in vertical section ofa portion bfihetackefeedmg. mechanism; and

Fig. 10l.is a viewinsection .andat an enlarged ggale. of .a. part .of. .the tack. raceway .shownin g..9,

.Referring to these drawings, and particularly to Fig'...1,.the improved tack-handling apparatus of. this invention'i's therein illustrated as applied to .a so-called "fhand method lasting machine of the type illustratedin United States Letters Patent No. 584,744, issued on June 15, 1897 in the .names of S. W. Ladd and RF. McFeely, as modified in some respects in the manner shown in United States Letters Patent No. 999,233, issued August 1, 1911 in the names of S. W. Ladd and E. A. Stiggins. In common with lasting machines of this type, the herein illustrated machine is provided with an overlaying member'in the form of a tack nozzle 28, which is carried by a reciprocating slide 22, a driver 24 for driving tacks through the nozzle, a tack. raceway 28., carried by a supporting rod 28, a tack pot 3!] and an edge gage 32. Except as will be noted below, these various elements are constructed like, and operate in the same manner as, the corresponding elements of the machines disclosed in the aforementioned patents to which reference may "be made for details not set forth herein.

The improved tack-handling apparatus includes aa. novel tack-separating mechanism which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 2-8 of the drawings. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, the lower end of the raceway-supporting rod as is secured, in the usualmanner, to the. machine frame-Baby means of a screw-38, while the racewayisfixed toJthe rod 28 by means ofa screw 38, see Figs. 4 and.5. The raceway 25, whichexcept as noted below, is of conventional.construction, is provided with a pair of tack-guiding grooves, orslots, 4B, 42., Figs. 3, '7 and 8, andisconnected. to. the tack pot 3i? in .the usualmanner as shown in-Fig. 9. The tack-feeding grooves M3, '22, extend out through a. vertical. surface 44, formed onthe lower end of the raceway, and midway between these grooves this vertical surface is cut away to provide a discharge passage 46, Figs. 6, '7 and 8. Tacks are selectively separated from one or the other of the two grooves 58, 42, and deliveredto the discharge passage by means ofa reciprocating separator, indicated generally by the reference character 58, and in a manner. about to be explained.

The tack separator is slidably mounted. butween the vertical. surface M on the end of the raceway and the front face 52 of a bracket member 54 that is secured .to a supporting plate 56' by means of screws 58, Figs. 2, 4 and 5. The bracket member Ed is recessed at as to receive a flange portion 52, formed on the lower part of the separator, Figs. 4 and 5, and the recess 66 opens into a groove 64. .A projection 66, formed integrally with the flange 62, extends into the groove 64 so that reciprocating movements of the separator, in either direction, will be limited by engagement of this projection with one of the sides ofthegroove, Figs. .6, '7 and 8. The separar tor 5a is traversed by a vertical slot it of slightly greater depth than the length of the longest tack to be handled, see Figs. 4-8, and this slot is intersected by means of .a groove 1'2, formed on the side of the separator remote fromthe end of the raceway and terminating in a horizontal slot 141 thatis cut through the separator, Figs. 6 and 7. Pivotally mounted on the separator, by means of a headedpin this an arm l8and formedintegrally with one end ofthis armis a rectangular shaped block 85 whichis located in-thevertical slot iE'l,.Figs. .6, 7 and 8. A leaf spring 82, mounted on a, laterally extending portion 84 of theseparator, projects through the horizontalslot l4 .and holds the arm 58 and block .88. in the position shown in Figs. .6 and '7, when the slot'i-il is in line with either one of .the two raceway grooves. 53, t2. However, when the separator. is shifted, to a position in which the slot is brought into alinement with the discharge passage 4'6, thearm i8 and block 8% are moved to the positionshown in Fig. 8 by means of a cam member, 85, formed on the arm 18, anda leaf spring 88 having an offset end 9% and mounted on a bracket 54 by means of a screw 92. As will be apparent, when the separator 5B is moved to a position where the slot is in alinement with one or the other of the two raceway grooves, the lowermost tack in this raceway groove will pass into the slot 10, see Figs. 4 and 7. Now, when the separator is moved to a position where the slot is in line with the discharge opening 46, this tack will be ejected,

by the block 80 on the arm 18, into the discharge opening 46, see Figs. 2 and 8.

For reciprocating the separator 50 in such a way that it may be caused to separate tacks,

selectively, from either one of the two raceway grooves 40, 42 and deliver them to the discharge opening 46, the following mechanism is provided. The supporting plate 56 is secured, by means of screws I00 and dowel pins I02, to an offset boss I04 that isformed integrally with the lower end of the raceway-supporting rod 28, Figs. 3 and 6. The overlaying member, or nozzle, 20, of the lasting machine is secured to thelower end of the reciprocating slide 22 by means of screws I06 and interposed between this slide and the nozzle is a plate I08, Fig. 2. Adjustably secured to the plate I08, by means of a screw H0, is a second plate I I2 which lies beneath the supporting plate 56, Figs. 2 and 3. The plate I I2 is formed with a boss II4 through which a bore II6 extends. Journaled in this bore is a trunnion shaft II8, Fig. 3, that is formed integrally with an arm I20, provided with a rectangular groove I22, Figs. 2 and 3. Mounted on a stud I24, secured to the lower end of the raceway-supporting rod 28, is a bell-crank lever I26, Figs. 2, 4 and 6, and pivoted on one arm I28 of this bell-crank lever, by means of a stud I21 and nut I29, is a block I30 which is arranged to slide along the groove I22 in the arm I20.

Fixed to the lower end of the stud I I8 is a shift cam I32, Fig. 3, that is provided with an arcuate surface I34, Fig. 2, and bearing against this arcuate surface is a plunger I36 which is mounted in a lever I38. This plunger is slidably received in a sleeve I40 that is fixed on a boss I42, formed on the lever I38, and carries a threaded stem I44, Fig. 3. This stem passes through an opening in a second boss I46, formed on the lever I38. A coil spring I48, surrounding the stem I44, bears at one end on the plunger I36 and at its other end on the boss I46. Movement of the plunger I36 by the spring I48 is limited by a pair of locknuts I50 which are thread-ed on the stem I44 beyond the boss I46. Mounted on the plate I I2 are a pair of stop studs I52, I54 and, with the lever I38 in the position shown in Fig. 2, the springpressed plunger I36 swings the arm I20 over against the stud I52. The lever I38 is connected, by means of a link I56, to an arm I58. This arm has a hub portion I60 that is journaled in a boss I62 formed integrally with an arm I64 that extends from the machine frame 20. Carried by the hub portion I60 is a shift arm I66. When this shift arm it moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, the plunger I36 will be shifted to the other end of the arcuate surface I34, thus causing the arm I20 to be swung over and into engagement with the stop stud I54, see dotted line position in Fig. 2. For limiting movement of the shift arm, the lever I38 is formed with a laterally extending ear I65, the rounded end of which is received in .slot I61- out in a stop member I69, Figs. 2 and 3.

During the operation of the lasting machine, the plate I I2 and the arm I20 carried thereby are moved forwardly and rearwardly (downwardly and upwardly as viewed in Fig. 2) by the reciprocating slide 22. Inasmuch as the axis of the groove I22 in the arm I20 is at an angle to the direction of movement of these parts,'in-

dicated by the arrow on the slide 22 in Fig. 2. when the arm I 20 is in engagement with either one of the two studs I52, I54, the lever I26 will be oscillated once for each reciprocation of the slide 22. When the plate I22 and arm I20 move forwardly and away from the plunger I36, the arm I20 is held in position in the following manner. Pivotally mounted on a forwardly extending portion of the plate I22 is an arm I18 that is provided with a tooth II2.- A coil spring I14, stretched between one end of this arm and a pin I16, mounted in the plate II2, tends to swing the arm I10 in a clockwise direction and to the extent permitted by a stop pin I18 that is carried by the supporting plate 56. The forward end of the arm I26 is provided with a pair of recesses I88, I82. The recess I is directly in line with the tooth I12 on the arm I10 when the arm I20 is held against the stud I52, while the recess I82 is in line with the tooth I12 when the arm I20 is held against the stud I54. As soon as the plate II2 begins its forward movement, inasmuch as the stop pin I18 is stationary, the arm I10 will be swung toward the arm I20 by spring I14, so that the tooth I12 will engage one or the other of the recesses I80, I 82.

The lever I26 is provided with a second arm I98, Figs. 2 and 6, and rotatably mounted on the stud I24 are a pair of arms I82, I84. These two arms are connected together by a coil spring I96 which holds the ends of these two arms in .engagement with the end of the arm I of the lever I23 and a block I98 that is rotatably mounted on a link 200. This link, in turn, is connected to the rearwardly extending portion 84 of the separator 50 by means of a pin 20L A complete cycle of operation of the tackseparating mechanism will now be described as it would occur with the parts in the solid line positions shown in Fig. 2. When the arm I20 is swung over into engagement with the stud I 52, as shown in Fig. 2, the separator 50 will be so moved as to separate the lowermost tack from the raceway groove 42 and deliver it to the discharge opening 46, each time the slide 22 is reciprocated. Referring particularly to Figs. 2, '7 and 8, at the beginning of an operating cycle the slide 22 is withdrawn, the separator 50 is so positioned that the slot 16 therein is in line with the discharge passage 46 and the arm 18 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 8 by thespring 88. During the forward movement of the slide 22, the arm I20 is locked in position by the tooth I12 on the arm I16, the separator 50 is shifted to the position shown in Fig. 7, with the slot 10 in line with the raceway groove 42, and the arm 18 is retracted by the spring 82, as the cam member 66 moves away from the offset end 90 of the spring 88. The lowermost tack T in the raceway groove 42, urged downwardly by the tacks that are behind it, now slides out of the raceway and into the slot 10 of the separator until its stem engages the block 80 on the end of the arm 18, see Figs. 4 and 7. As the slide 22 moves rearwardly, the separator 50 is returned to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 8 and just as this position is reached, the offset end 90 on the spring 88 engages the cam portion 86 and swings the arm 18 toward the separator, thus causing the block 80 on the end of the arm 18 to eject the tack positively from the slot 10 in the separator and into the discharge opening 46. Tacks thus delivered to the discharge opening fall downwardly therethrough and into the nozzle 20 in the usualmanner. V

The operating cycle which has just been des r bedi rep ate ur n ch; e i ro at on o the slide 22 ar d nozzle 2c carried thereby, so long as the lasting machine is in operation. When itis desired to separate tacks from the other raceway groove which will usually be of a different size and/or length than those in the groove 42, the operator merely swings the shift arm H65 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. Now, just before the slide 22 completes its rearward movement, the locking arm Hi3 will release the arm 123 which will immediately be swung over against the stud I54 by the action of the plunger I35 on the shift cam I32. On the next forward movement of the slide 22, the separator 55 will move over to a position to receive a tack; from the raceway groove 43 and this tack will be delivered to the discharge passage 43, when the slide 22 is returned, in the same manner as before. Hence, regardless of when the shift arm H6 is moved by the operator,

the position of the arm lZll will not be changed until the end of a tack-separating cycle when the slide 2?: is returned. to the position shown in Z and the arm E28 released. Inasmuch as at that time in the operating cycle the axes of the studs l 48 and B2? are substantially in alinement see Figs. 2 and 3, such movement of the arm 12d will not disturb the position of the separator.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 7, the space in front of the block St in the slot '55 of the separator 56 is somewhat deeper than the thickness of the stem of the longest tack to be handled and the width of this slot is of equal magnitude. In order to insure that the stem of each tack will move out of its raceway groove and into this space in the slot iii, the upper surface of the separator 294 is inclined as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. As the lowermost tack in a raceway groove is pushed into the separator slot, by the action of gravity and the line of tacks behind it, the forward edge of its head will rest on this inclined surface. Therefore the stem of the tack will swing toward the block 83 and away from the surface 34 on the end of the raceway, see 4, i

thusv avoiding any tendency for the stem of the tack to become jammed between the separator and the raceway. As has already been pointed out, the depth of the slot is is just slightly greater than the length of the longest tack to be handled, while the space in front of the block 83 is just a little wider and deeper than the stem of the tack. Hence, when the separator moves to deliver a separated tack to the discharge opening, i. e., from the position shown in Fig. '7 to that shown in Fig. 8, the stern of the tack is completely confined by the walls of the slot 70, the block 80 and the vertical surface :34 on the end of the raceway. Therefore, with this separator construction, it is impossible for the tack to be displaced, or tilted out of a proper position for fallingfreely down through the passage and into the nozzle 20.

In spite of whatever precautions may be taken, it will frequently happen that some of the tacks that are delivered to the raceway grooves ill, 42 are misshapen or bent, as indicated by the tack T2 in Fig. 5, so that jamming occurs. Damaging of the tack separator and/or its operating mechanism under the above circumstances is prevented in the following manner. Actual movement of the separator by the lever I26 is effected through the arm lei of this lever and the freely rotatable arms I92, I94, which are con pected together by the coil Spring L95. When movement-of the separator is prevented, as, for example, by the jamming of a bent tack,- as illustrated in Fig. 5, the spring I96 will yield and permit full oscillation of the lever 526 without movement of the separator in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. In order to facilitate removal of a jammed tack, the following constructionis provided. The raceway 26 is provided with a cover 2H1 that is removably secured in place on the raceway by means of a thumb nut ZIZ, Fig. 1 At its lower end this cover is cut away at 2M, Figs. 4 and 5. A block 2l6, provided with a shoulder H8 and having a lower surface 220 is secured to the end of a curved leaf spring 222. This spring is slotted in two places at 224 and 225 and is" held in place on the cover 226 by means of a headed stud 228, which passes through the slot 224, and a screw 23!! which passes through the slot 225. When the block 216 is in the position shown in Fig. 4, the lower surface 225 thereof forms a continuation of the underneath side of the cover 2H However, access to the lower end of the raceway grooves 46, 42 and separator 59 may be quickly and easily obtained, without removal of the cover 2H3, by shifting the block 2H5 to the position shown in Fig. 5.

In order toassure that the tacks will descend along the raceway grooves 40, 42 in proper position, i. e., shingled in the right direction, to enter the slot 16 of the separator 50 in the manner shown in Fig. 4, the following arrangement is provided. In Fig. 9 one-half of a double tack pot and raceway construction, similar to that shown in Figs. 63 and 65 of United States Letters PatentNo. 584,744, referred to abovais illustrated. Each of the raceway grooves 49, 42 is extended into the tack pot by means of a pair of spaced plates sec, 3&2 and, where these two pairs of plates emerge from the tack pct 30, they are covered by a removable block 384 in the manner disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,014,940, mentioned above. The pair of spaced plates 34W, 392 which appear in Fig. 9 constitute an extension of the raceway groove 42, while a similar pair of plates, which do not appear in Fig. 9, are arranged to constitute an extension of the raceway groove 40.

Referring to Fig. 10, which is a view at a greatly enlarged scale of adjoining portions of the plate 382, block so: and raceway 25, the upper flat surface of each of the plates 33%, 382, along which the heads of the tacks ride, is interrupted by a notch Sill having a bottom 352 that is disposed at an angle to, and more nearly horizontal than, the upper surface of each plate. When tacks are received between the two plates 3%, 352, as a result of the action of the tack pot mechanism, these tacks may assume various positions in the manner indicated at the upper left-hand portion of Fig. 10, above the notch 3H1. However, as each tack reaches and drops into the notch 3 l 8, it will be swung, by the action of gravity on its stem, into the position shown in Fig. 10 Now, as the next succeeding tack comes along, the leading edge of its head will be located somewhat above the trailing edge of the tack that is in the notches 355 in the plates 300, 3112 Hence, as the lineof tacks travel along and out of the notch 3 l 0, their heads will necessarily be shingled in the right direction, as shown in the lower portion of Fig. l0, beyond the notches Sic. In order to prevent shingling of the tacks before they dropinto the notches 318, which might occur improperly with h le ing edse oi sea ene th .ih i i l edge of the preceding tack, the clearance space, between the underside 306 of the block 304 and the upper surfaces of the plates 300, 302 above the notches, is preferably limited to a height that is less than twice the thickness of the head of a tack, see Fig. 10. Thus, the tacks are constrained to travel down the raceway with their heads in edge-to-edge relation until they reach the notches 3).

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and'desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A tack-separating mechanism having, in combination, a raceway provided with a tackfeeding groove extending through an end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face adjacent to the tack-feeding groove, a separator having a tack-receiving recess, means for reciprocating the separator so as to bring said recess into alinement, alternately, with the tackfeeding groove or the discharge passage, a member carried by the separator for positively ejecting a tack from the tack-receiving recess and into the discharge passage, each time the separator is moved to bring the recess into alinement with the discharge passage, and means for actuating said member.

2. A tack-separating mechanism having, in combination, a raceway provided with a tackfeeding groove extending through an end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face adjacent to the tack-feeding groove, a separator arranged to engage the end face of the raceway and having a tack-receiving recess, mechanism for reciprocating the separator to bring said recess into alinement, alternately, with the tack-feeding groove or the discharge passage, a member carried by the separator for positively ejecting a tack from the tack-receiving recess and into the discharge passage, each time the separator is moved to bring the recess into alinement with the discharge passage, and means for actuating said member.

3. A tack-separating mechanism having, in combination, a raceway provided with a tackfeeding groove extending through an end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face adjacent to the tack-feeding groove, a separator arranged to slide along the end face of the raceway and having a slot cut through its upper portion to provide a tack-receiving recess of a depth at least as great as the length of the stem of the longest tack to be handled, mechanism for reciprocating the separator to bring said slot into alinement, alternately, with the tackfeeding groove or the discharge passage, a member mounted in said slot for positively ejecting a tack therefrom and into the discharge passage, each time the separator is moved to bring the slot into alinement with the discharge passage, and means for actuating said member.

4. A tack-separating mechanism having, in

combination, a raceway provided with a tackfeeding groove extending through an end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face adjacent to the tack-feeding groove, ,a

separator comprising a member arranged to slide,

along the end face of the raceway and having a slot cut through its upper portion to provide a tack-receiving recess of a depth at least as great as the length of the stem of the longest tack to be handled, mechanism for reciprocating said separator to bring the slot into alinement, alternately, with the tack-feeding groove and discharge passage, a member slidably mounted in the slot in the separator and extending substantially from the top of the separator to the bottom of said slot, for positively ejecting a tack therefrom and into the discharge passage, each time the separator is moved to bring the slot into alinement with the discharge passage, and means for actuating said member.

5. .A tack-separating mechanism having, in combination, a raceway provided with a tackfeeding groove extending through an end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face'adjacent to the tack-feeding groove, a separator comprising a member arranged to slide along the end face of the raceway and having a slot cut through its upper portion to provide a tack-receiving recess of a depth at leastas great as the length of the stem of the longest tack to be handled, mechanism for reciprocating the separator to bring said slot into alinement, alternately, with the tack-feeding groove or the discharge passage, a member slidably mounted in the slot in the separator and extending substantially from the top of the separator to the bottom of the slot, and means for moving said member inthe slot toward and away from the end face of the raceway, in such time relation to the reciprocation of the separator that the member is withdrawn from the end face of the raceway to permit the endmost tack in the tack-feeding groove to enter the slot, when the slot is in alinement with the groove, and is projected toward the end face of the raceway to eject the tack from the slot and into the discharge passage, when the slot is in alinement with the discharge passage.

6. A tack-separating mechanism having, in combination, aninclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove extending through the lower end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face adjacent to the tackfeeding groove, a separator arranged to slide along the end face of the raceway and having a tackreceiving recess, said separator also having an upper surface that is inclined in a direction opposite to said raceway for engaging the head of a tack received from the tack-feeding groove and causing the stem of the tack to swing out of said groove and away from the end face of the raceway, mechanism for reciprocating the separator to bring the said recess into alinement, alternately, with the tack-feeding groove, to receive a tack therefrom, or with the discharge passage, for delivery of a tack thereto, a member carried by the separator for positively ejecting a tack from the tack-receiving recess and into the discharge passage, each time the separator is moved to bring the recess into alinement with the discharge passage, and means for actuating said member.

7. A tack-separating mechanism having, in combination, an inclined raceway provided witha tack-feeding groove extending through the lower end face thereof and a discharge passage formed in said end face adjacent to the tack-feeding groove, a separator comprising a member arranged to slide along the end face of the raceway and having a slot cut through its upper portion to provide a tack-receiving recess of a .depthat least equal to the length of the stem of the longest tack to be handled, said member also having an upper surface that is inclined in a direction opposite to the raceway for engaging the head of a tack'received from the tack-feeding groove and causing the stem of the tack to swing out of said groove and away from the end face of the raceway, mechanism for reciprocating the separator to bring the tack receiving recess into alinement,

alternately, with the tack-feeding groove, to receivea tack therefrom, *or'with the discharge passage, for delivery of the tackthereto, a member;slidablymounted in the slot in the separator and extending substantially from the top of the separator to the bottom of said slotfor positively ejecting a tack therefrom, each time the separator is. movedto bring theslot into alinement with the discharge, passage,:iand means .foractuating said member.

8. A tack-separating @mechanism having, :in combination, i an'.inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding ,groove extending through the lowercen'd face thereof, and a..discharge passage formed in said end faceadjacent to the tackfeedinggroove, .a separator comprisinglamember arranged to slide along the..endface of the raceway andhavinga. slot cutthrough its upper portionLtoprovide atack-receiving recess of a depth equal to thezlength Jof the stem of :the longest tack'lto be handled, said member also having an upper surface that .is inclinedinla-direction opposite tothe raceway for engaging the headof a tack received from theitack-feeding groove and causing the stem of the tack to swing out of said groove and away from the end face ofthe raceway,.mechanism for reciprocating saidseparator to bring the tack-receivingrecessintoalinement, alternately, with the tack-feeding groove, to receive :a tack therefrom, or with the discharge passage, for delivery of the tack-thereto,a memberslidablymounted in the slot in theseparator and extending substantially from the top of the separator to the bottom .of .the slot and means for moving said last-named member in the slot, towardland. away from the end face of the raceway, in suchtime relation to the reciprocation of the separator that said member is withdrawn from the .end of the raceway to permit theendmost .tack in-the tack-feeding groove to enter the slot; when the slot is in a1inement with the groove, and gisprojected toward theend faceiof the raceway to eject the tack from theslot and into the dischargepassage, when the slot. is in alinement with the dischargeipassage.

9.. In .a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined ;raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove andadj acentiflatsurf aces for engaging the heads of tacks in'saidigroove and a separator-arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a "tack-receiving recess,;said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads onsaidlfiat-surfaces and their stems suspended insaidgroove, and the flat raceway surfaces being interrupted by portions of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of themeceding tack, as aline of tacks descends along the raceway.

10. .In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for-engaging theheads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess andhaving an upper surface inclined in the opposite direction to said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufiicient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said fiat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and the fiat raceway surfaces being interruptedby portions of con- 12 siderably less inclination-than that of the :raceway so as to causethe leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

11. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said flat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and the flat raceway surfaces, adjacent to the upper end of the raceway, being interrupted by portions of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

12. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess and having an upper surface inclined in the opposite direction to said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said flat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and the flat raceway surfaces, adjacent to the upper end of the raceway, being interrupted by portions of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each successive tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

13. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of the raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said fiat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and said flat raceway surfaces each being interrupted by an angular notch having a bottom surface of considerably less inclination thanthat of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

14. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess and having an upper surface inclined in the opposite direction to said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by-gravity with their heads on said fiat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and-the fiat raceway surfaces each being interrupted by an angular notch having a bottom surface of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway-so as to of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

15. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along, the lower end face of said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said fiat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and the flat raceway surfaces, adjacent to the upper end of the raceway, each being interrupted by an angular notch having a bottom surface of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

16. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, and a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess and having an upper surface inclined inthe opposite direction to said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said flat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove, and the flat raceway surfaces, adjacent to the upper end of the raceway, each being interrupted by an angular notch having a bottom surface of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway.

1'7. In a tack-separatingv mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said flat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove and the flat raceway surfaces being interrupted by portions of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway, and means for constraining said tacks to descend along the raceway with their heads in edge-to-edge relation until they reach said interrupted portions of the flat raceway surfaces.

18. In a. tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess and having an upper surface inclined in the opposite direction to said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufiicient to cause tacks to slide by gravity 14 with their heads on said flat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove and the flat raceway surfaces, adjacent to the upper end of the raceway, being interrupted by portions of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each successive tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway, and means for constraining the tacks to descend along the raceway with their heads in edge-toedge relation until they reach said interrupted portions of the flat raceway surfaces.

19. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of the tacks in said groove, a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of the raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said flat sur faces and their stems suspended in said groove and said flat raceway surfaces each being interrupted by an angular notch having a bottom surface of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack, as a line of tacks descends along the raceway, and means for constraining the tacks to descend along the raceway with their heads in edge-to-edge relation until they reach said notches in the flat raceway surfaces.

20. In a tack-separating mechanism, an inclined raceway provided with a tack-feeding groove and adjacent flat surfaces for engaging the heads of tacks in said groove, a separator arranged to reciprocate along the lower end face of said raceway provided with a tack-receiving recess and having an upper surface inclined in the opposite direction to said raceway, said raceway being inclined from the horizontal at an angle sufficient to cause tacks to slide by gravity with their heads on said flat surfaces and their stems suspended in said groove and the flat raceway surfaces, adjacent to the upper end of the raceway, each being interrupted by an angular notch having a bottom surface of considerably less inclination than that of the raceway so as to 7 cause the leading edge of the head of each succeeding tack to be superposed on the trailing edge of the head of the preceding tack as a line of tacks descends along the raceway, and means for constraining the tacks to descend along the raceway with their heads in edge-to-edge relation until they reach said notches in the flat raceway surfaces.

CHARLES A. ROBINSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

